Hydraulic feed mechanism for drilling machines



March 18, OAKLEY HYDRAULIC FEED MECHANISM-FOR DRILLING IACH INBS FiledNov. 16, 1925 s sheets-sheet 1 awuencoz Lia/m Oak/ 33:1 WA GU March 18,1930. J. OAKLEY 1,750,684

HYDRAULIC FEED MECHANISM FOR DRILLING MACHINES Filed Nov. 16, 1925 5Sheets-Sheet 2 gvmemtoz Jo/7n Oar/Hey 1%. cwlw' m March 18, 1930. J.OAKLEY 1,750,684

HYDRAULIC FEED MECHANISM FOR DRILLING IACHINES Filed Nov. 16, 1925 3$heets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHNOAKLEY, F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO IBAUSH MACHINE .TOOLCOMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAS SACHUSETTSHYDRAULIC FEED' MECHANISM FOR DRILLING MACHINES Application filedNovember 16, 1925. Serial No. 69,232.

This invention relates in general to drills and more particularly toimproved means for causing the drills to rapidly approach the work andto feed into the work at a slower speed and then return automatically toa suitable starting position clear of the work. The invention will beunderstood from the following specification when read in connection withthe accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment thereof.ReferrinFg in detail to the drawings 1 is a side elevation of a multiplespindle grill showing fluid ressure actuated means for moving the dril srelatively to the work;

' trating di Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of valve actuated mechanismwhich controls the operation of the fluid motor;

Figs. 3, 4 5 and 6 are sectional views illusfl erent positions assumedby the valve, Fig. 3 showing the position of the valve with the drillhead at rest, Fig. 4 showing the quick approach position, Fi 5 thecomparatively slow feed position an Fig. 6

the quick return position;

Flg. 7 is a detail view illustrating certain operating members for thecontrol valve.

Referrmg in detail to the drawings, the drill illustrated comprises asuitable base 10 having a work supporting bed 12 thereon and a pedestal14, the upper end of which carries a bracket 16 provlded with bearings18 and 20 in which is journalled a suitable drive shaft 22 to the outerend of which is secured a bevel'gear 24 meshing with the pinion 26carried on a vertical shaft 28. The

shaft 28 and gearing above described may be of any standard type and isadapted to drive a multiplicity of drills indicated at 30 throughsuitable gears 32, 33, 34', 35 and universal joints 36 and inclinedconnections 38 of known type, the gearing 34, drills 30 and intermediateconnections all being supported by the multiple spindle drill headindicated ,generally by numeral 40. This drill head is guided onsuitable ways 42 formed on the pedestal and its weight iscounterbalanced by a suitable counterweight 44 connected to the free endof a cable 46 one end of which valve '63 having passages 65 and 67therein.

A pipe 64 connects a pump (not shown) with the port 64 of said valve andanother pipe 66 connects the port 66 of the valve to a suitable storagetank not shown.

Valve 63 carries on the exterior of the valve-casing an arm 68 connectedby screw and slot connection 70, 72 with a link 74, the

lower end of which is connected with a bell crank 76 having an arm 78connected with link 80 to a foot treadle 82.

The valve 63 also has an oppositely extending arm 84 which carries aroller 86 adapted to coact with an adjustable cam member 88 having athreaded shank 90 screwed into a block 92 which is adjustably secured toa vertical rod 94 depending from a bracket 96 which is movable with thedrill head 40.

Valve 63 has secured at one end a pinion 98 arranged to mesh with a rack100, the

upper end of which is guided in fixed brackets 102 and 103. The lowerend of the rack is connected by a pin 104 with a lever 106- pivoted at108 to the drill pedestal. The lever 106 carries at one end a pin 110adapted to engage an annular groove 112 in a collar 114 loosely mountedon a rod 116, the lower end of which is guided in a fixed bracket 118and the upper end of which slides freely through an opening 120 formedin the extremity'of the aforesaidbracket 96. The rod 116 carries a fixedcollar 122 and between this collar and the collar 114 is located aspring 124 which is adapted to store up energyas the drill head movesdownward as will hereinafter morefully appear, the rod 116 beingprovided with an adjustable collar 126 arranged to bear on the undersideof the bracket 96.

A sprin pressed latch 128 pivoted at 130 to the pe estal tends tonormally hold the lever 106 in the position shown. This latch has a tail132 which is in the path of a stop rod 134 which is adjustably securedby means of a suitable screw to a bracket 136 carried by the drill head.1

The rod 116 above referred to carries at its upper end a collar 138 andnear its lower end an adjustable stop collar 140.

In operation, assuming the drill head 40 to be at its highestpositionwith the drills clear of the work, the valve 63 will be in the positionshown in Fig. 3 so that communication between the fluid pressure motor.and source of fluid pressure is cut off.

To cause the drill head to rapidly approach the work the operator stepson the starting treadle 82 and through the link connections shown inFig. 1, the arm 68 secured to the valve 63 is pulled downward so as toturn the valve counterclockwise to the position shown in Fig. 4 so thatthe passage 65 of the valve opens communication between the ports 66 andAt the same time passage 67 is positioned to open communication betweenthe ports 58 and 64*. With the valve in this position the pump suppliesoil or other fluid through the pipe 58 to the top of the cylinder 56 ata rapid rate, and thus causes the drill head 40 to quickly approach thework. When the drills 30 contact with the work or if desired at aninstant before they actually contact therewith the adjustable feed cam88 strikes the roller 86 carried on the free end of the valve arm 84thus turning the valve 63 to the feed position shown in Fig. 5." Withthe valve in this position, it is noted that the passages 67 and of thevalve are moved slightly out of alignment with the ports formed in thevalve casing so that the rate of flow of fluid from the pump through thepipe 64 to the top of the cylinder 56 through pipe 58 is materiallydiminished. This results in moving the drill head 40 at a much slowerrate. The rate at which the drills are fed into the work can be variedto suit the material being drilled and also the cutting speed at whichthe drills can efliciently work on the particular material beingdrilled. By adjusting the block 92 at different points along the rod 94it will be understood that the time at which the change in rate offeeding movement of head takes place can be varied. It is also apparentthat by screwing the member 88 in or out the eifective area of valveport opening can be varied at will so as to cause the head to travel atany desired rate so as to suit requirements of different drillingoperations.

As the drill head moves down the bracket 96 impinging in the collar 126of the rod 116 causes the spring 124 to be compressed against the collar114, it being remembered that this collar is slidable on the rod 116 andis held in position bythe pivoted lever 106 which in turn is held by thelatch 128.

After the drills 30 have drilled into the work for the requireddistance, that is to say, after they have reached a predetermined point,the adjustable feed stop rod 134 will strike the tail 132 of the latchand thus permit the energy stored up in the spring 24 on the downwardmovement of the drill head to be released so as to transmit upwardmotion to the rack 100. This will cause the pinion 98 to turn inclockwise direction so as to turn the passages 65 and 67 of the valve 63to the quick-return position shown in Fig. 6, thus permitting fluid toflow rapidly from the pipe 64 through the passage 67 to the pipe 60leading to the bottom of the cylinder 56 so as to quickly retract thedrill head 40 from the work. Upon the upward movement of the head 40,the bracket 96 will strike the collar 138 and thus lift the rod 116 andafter an interval determined by the setting of the adjustable stopcollar 140, the latter will strike the collar 112 and thus rock lever106 which will result in pulling the rack 100 down so as to turn thevalve 63 in a counter-- clockwise direction so as to move the passages65 and 67 therein from the osition shown 1n Fig. 6 to the startingposltion shown in Fig. 3. The latch 128 will snap in the position shownin Figs. 1 and 2, thus resetting all of the mechanism in position for arepetition of the above described cycle.

The above described arrangement it will be understood provides meanswhereby feeding pressure on the drill head is exerted substantially orapproximately in the center of the drilling area, it being understoodthat the piston rod 52 is secured to the drill head in the center ofthat portion of the head which carries the multiplicity of drills 30.These drills, however, are capable of a wide range of adjustment as toposition with respect to the center line of the head. It is,nevertheless, clear that the feedingpressure exerted is much morecentrally applied by the provision of a fluid motor locatedabove thehead than is the case in mechanically fed drill heads employing rack andpinion or equivalent expedients which are frequently placed to one sideof the drill head.

While I have described quite specifically the four-way valve illustratedand certain mechanism for actuating the same, it is apparent thatvarious equivalents may be substituted therefor without departing fromthe invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a drill head, of a fluid motorfor moving the latter, a valve controlling the rate at which fluidpressure is supplied to said motor and means for shifting the valve toadmit fluid at a fast rate to cause the head to rapidly approach thework and means for automatically shifting the valve to cause the head tofeed the drills into the work at a slower rate, a member arranged tostore energy as the drill head moves, and devices coacting with saidmember and-said valve arranged to release the stored energy and transmitmovement to said valve after the drills have travelled a predetermineddistance into the work so as to cause the fluid motor to rapidly retractthe drill head from the work.

2. A drillin machine including in combinationa drillfiead supporting amultiplicity of drills, a hydraulic cylinder halving therein a pistonfor exerting a pressure substantially or approximately in the center ofthe drillin area, a valve controlling the supply of flui to the ends ofsaid cylinder, means for moving the valveto admit fluid at a rapid rateto one end of the cylinder, means for automatically actuating said valveto reduce the rate at which fluid is admitted to said cylinder, 9.spring which is compressed by the movement of the drill head, latchrestrained means operatively connecting said spring with said valve andmeans for automatically releasing said latch retained means after thedrills have travelled a predetermined distance so as to set the valve toquickly retract the drill head from the work.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name. v

JOHN OAKLEY.

